Canada invests in research infrastructure and in the next generation of scientists

DARTMOUTH, NOVA SCOTIA — Modern, high-quality research facilities and infrastructure are essential for breakthroughs in Canadian research and science, helping drive scientific productivity, attracting the next generation of scientific talent and supporting cutting-edge research and innovation in Canada. 

Today, Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of National Revenue, on behalf of the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced more than $18 million through the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to support 23 research infrastructure projects at 21 colleges, cégeps and polytechnics across the country.

This contribution, made through the CFI’s College Fund, will help these institutions obtain the state-of-the-art labs and equipment they need to attract, train and inspire the next generation of innovators, and to build research collaborations with public, private and not-for-profit partners. These partnerships will seek to address social, business, health or environmental needs of Canadian industries or communities.  

By continuing to invest in Canada’s world-renowned researchers and scientists, the Government of Canada is supporting today’s problem solvers and innovators to succeed and reach their full potential.  

This funding for colleges will support a range of applied research, including: 

• Resilient farms: Food security is a global concern, as farmers face challenges from unpredictable weather due to climate change and increased demand from a growing population. CFI funding will help establish the Agriculture Biotechnology Cool Climate Centre (ABC3) at Nova Scotia Community College in Middleton, N.S. The centre will have controlled indoor and outdoor testing environments as well as equipment for assessing soil gas emissions and nutrient leaching. The project will work with local businesses and focus on short-term solutions for disease mitigation and climate adaptation, as well as long-term sustainable agriculture practices. Research into biostimulants and soil amendments will help develop resilient crops and increase their yield.  

• Recycling fashion waste: Fashion is often singled out as one of the most polluting industries in the world. In Quebec alone, more than 124,000 tonnes of textile waste are either sent to the landfill or incinerated every year. Researchers at Montréal’s Cégep Marie-Victorin’s affiliated non-profit Vestechpro will use CFI-funded equipment to develop a mechanical assembly line to recycle clothing and industry textiles. The research team will explore solutions at various steps in the circular economy — from recycling to uses for textile waste.  

• Supporting skilled trades: Skilled trades play a vital role in our national economy, with the construction and manufacturing industries accounting for more than 17 percent of Canada’s GDP. But the sector is seeing record-high job vacancy rates. Over the next 10 years, researchers at Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning in Cambridge, Ont., estimate a shortage of more than 170,000 workers in the province. To help build and sustain the workforce, they have identified challenges that need to be addressed, including high rates of injury, an aging workforce and barriers to job accessibility for underrepresented groups. The CFI is supporting CONSTRUCT: Centre for Ontario’s Network of Skilled Trade Researchers, Unions, Contractors, and Tradespeople with funding for equipment to measure workplace demands and hazards as well as workers’ physiological and cognitive responses. The information collected will help the research team collaborate with a range of partners to develop real-world solutions to reduce the risk of injury and attract a more diverse workforce.  

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